This invention relates to a stylus device for use with a digitizer or other coordinate input system. More particularly, this invention relates to a pointing stylus including a rotatable side wheel, wherein manipulation and rotation of the side wheel enables the user to vary a graphical or control parameter (e.g. line thickness, color, pen-stroke, shading, line texture, etc.) of an image being drawn via the coordinate input system. Other possible uses include scrolling in text documents with the finger wheel, navigation in a third dimension of a 3D space, zooming in and out of a document or graphical representation, and the like. In certain embodiments, a touchpad may replace the finger wheel on the side of the stylus.
Pointers for use in conjunction with coordinate input systems are known in the art. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,731,807; 5,028,745; 5,061,828; 5,109,141; 5,055,831; and 5,004,871, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. These pointers may be used in conjunction with coordinate input systems, such as digitizer systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,807 discloses a mouse for inputting coordinate data into a coordinate input system. Unfortunately, some users of graphics tablets dislike mouse devices and prefer stylus-like devices for drawing because of their aesthetic feel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,871 discloses stylus having a pressure sensitive side switch which protrudes outwardly from a housing at an angle which is transverse to the housing. The magnitude of force (i.e. pressure) applied to the switch determines the signal which is output by the stylus. Unfortunately, the transverse alignment of the switch relative to the housing in the ""871 patent, and the switch""s transverse movement relative to the housing""s axis, are undesirable. The transverse extension or protrusion of the switch renders it susceptible to damage, and furthermore it is difficult for some users to accurately adjust transverse finger pressure while writing (e.g. drawing) with the stylus. In sum, the requirement for accurate and adjustable transverse finger pressure during drawing strokes is undesirable and difficult to achieve, as is the requirement for transverse protrusion of a stylus side switch. It would be desirable if these characteristics could be eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,141 discloses a digitizer stylus including a switch moveable along the side of the housing, and wherein the switch retains the position it is moved to after it is released by the user. The switch in the ""141 patent is movable along the housing side parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing. These features of the ""141 side switch are undesirable. Firstly, it is undesirable to have to move a switch along the side of a housing while drawing. Second, it is undesirable to have a side switch that is moveable along the housing side parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing because the requirement for such movement during drawing or stroke movement is undesirable, and requires sliding finger movements which do not adequately simulate air brush use and which are often not desirable during stroke movement of the stylus.
It should be apparent that there exists a need in the art for a stylus which can simulate air-brush usage, wherein the stylus includes a finger input device (e.g. finger wheel or touchpad) that can be easily used during drawing stokes, and where the finger manipulatable input device (i) does not protrude transversely relative to the stylus housing, (ii) does not require transverse device movement, (iii) does not require sliding device movement parallel to the stylus"" longitudinal axis, and (iv) does not require device or switch movement along a side of the housing.
It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill the above described needs in the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to the skilled artisan from the following detailed description of certain embodiments of this invention.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills the above-described needs in the art by providing a stylus for use in a digitizer coordinate input system, the stylus comprising:
a housing;
electronic circuitry disposed within the housing;
a rotatable finger wheel or dial that is rotatable about a central axis by a user, wherein a degree to which the finger wheel is rotated determines the extent to which a control or graphical parameter utilized by the digitizer coordinate input system is varied;
the finger wheel including a plurality of teeth defined in a peripheral portion thereof;
a gear wheel including a first set of gear wheel teeth for meshing with the teeth of the finger wheel and a second set of gear teeth for meshing with corresponding teeth on a potentiometer so that the potentiometer detects the degree xcex8 to which the finger wheel is rotated and causes the parameter to be varied as a function thereof; and
wherein the first set of teeth on the gear wheel defines a peripheral portion having a different or smaller diameter than a peripheral portion of the second set of teeth on the gear wheel.
This invention further fulfills the above-described needs in the art by providing a stylus comprising:
a housing;
a printed circuit board including at least one substantially flat surface disposed inside of the housing, the printed circuit board having at least one chip mounted thereon and the one flat surface of the printed circuit board defining a plane;
a button disposed on a side of the stylus, the button being pressable inward along a button axis toward a longitudinal axis of the stylus in order to cause the stylus to output data indicative of a change in status of the button, and wherein the button axis and the longitudinal axis of the stylus are substantially perpendicular to one another; and
wherein the button axis is substantially parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board.
This invention further fulfills the above-described needs in the art by providing a stylus for use in a coordinate input system, the stylus including a touch sensitive area having no moving parts exposed for manipulation by a user, wherein the touch sensitive area enables a user to adjust a graphical parameter of an image being drawn by varying the user""s finger position or the finger""s pressure applied in the touch sensitive area. In certain embodiments, the touch sensitive area on the stylus may be implemented such that it measures finger position in the area and/or finger pressure applied in the area. The combination of sensing both finger position and pressure in the touch sensitive area would enable a user to manipulate two degrees of freedom with the touch sensitive area or side pad.
This invention will now be described with reference to certain embodiments thereof as illustrated in the following drawings.